TiiK iviNGFisirnn. 147 



devoured. The death of its captive is effected by grasping it bj' the tail, and then beating 

 its head on a branch. 



The kingfisher builds in the banks of the streams which it frequents, sometimes, it is 

 said, taking possession of a rat's hole in which to deposit its eggs. The hole is from two 

 to four feet long, sloping upwards, widening as it extends inwards, and at nearly the 

 extremitj- of this the nest is deposited. Many mythic stories have been received in 

 reference to the peculiarities of the nest-building of these birds, and also of their own 

 habits, which it is necessary here neither to repeat nor to refute. 



Wilson describes the movements of the belted kingfisher of America — which so closely 

 resembles the common kingfisher of Europe that it may serve for an account of either : 

 " Like the lovelorn swains, of whom poets teU us, he delights in murmuring streams and 

 falling waters ; not, however, merely that ho maj^ soothe his ear, but for a gratification 

 somewhat more substantial. Amidst the roar of the cataract, or over the foam of a 

 torrent, he sits perched upon an overhanging bough, glancing his piercing eye in every 

 direction below for his scaly prey, which, with a sudden, circular plunge, he sweeps from 

 his native element, and swallows in an instant. His voice, which is not unlike the 

 twirling of a watchman's rattle, is naturally loud, harsh, and sudden ; but is softened by 

 the sound of the brawling streams and cascades among which he generally rambles." 

 Audubon mentions that this species also ^•isits the salt-water creeks, dicing after 

 fish. 



HEAD OF STMA TOKOTOKO. 



The kingfishers have, in general, a body thick in proportion to its length ; a large 

 head ; the bill long, angular, and thick at the base ; tlie nostrils small, and nsually 

 co\-ered with feathers ; the tongue fleshy, short, and sharp ; the toes foui- ; the outer toe 

 and the next being united ; the tail being commouh' very short. Some of these birds 

 have a small crest, but more of them are without it. Their stomach is like that of the 

 rapacious birds, and like them, they return at the mouth, in small pellets, the indigestible 

 parts of their food. 



The species of this genus are very numerous, and are spread over almost all the world. 

 In Europe there is but one. 



" The alcyou flew across the stream, 

 And the sOver brooklet caught the gleam, 

 The g-littcring flush of his dazzling wings 

 Was such as the gorgeous i-aiuhow flings." 



And certainly this one is as ^4vid, and as highlj^ ornamental as to colour, as any Euro- 

 pean bird, though for inferior in beauty to those species of the genus which are found 

 within the tropics. The largest of the species is nearly the size of the crow, but the 

 smallest do not much exceed that of the nightingale. 



The Greeks called the common species Alcyon, from Alcyone, the daughter of JloIus, 

 and wife of Ccryx, on whose death, by drowning, it is said she threw herself into the sea, 

 when both were metamorphosed into kingfishers. Many superstitious notions, indeed, 

 prevailed among the ancients as to these birds ; and even in the present dav, and in 

 various parts, as in Siberia and the South Sea Islands, these birds are regarded ^vith 

 veneration and awe. 



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